West Downtown Rockford Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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West Downtown Rockford Historic District
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The Talcott Building was completed in 1927.
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Park Ave., State St., Church St., and Wyman St., Rockford, Illinois |
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| Area | 16 acres (6.5 ha) |
| Architect | Daniel Burnham, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Classical Revival, Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000899 |
| Added to NRHP | September 5, 2007 |
The West Downtown Rockford Historic District is a special area in Rockford, Illinois, United States. It includes 44 buildings that show what the city's downtown looked like west of the Rock River. Out of these, 41 buildings are very important to the district's history.
Contents
Exploring Rockford's Early Days
Rockford was first settled in 1834 by a person named Germanicus Kent. He started a small town called Kentville on the west side of the Rock River. Kent opened a blacksmith shop, a bank, a general store, and a hotel. These were all near where State and Madison Streets are today.
The first way to cross the river was a ferry, which started in 1836. Later, the first bridge was built in 1845. Rockford quickly became an important place for business. This was because it was about halfway between the big cities of Chicago and Galena.
Growing into a City
In the early 1850s, Rockford became even more important. The Rockford Waterpower District was created. This was an industrial area that used power from the first permanent dam on the river. Also, a railroad connection to the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad helped the city grow.
Rockford officially became a city in 1852. At that time, people lived on both sides of the river. There were 151 houses on the east side and 126 houses on the west side. As more people moved in, local business owners started replacing wooden buildings with stronger brick and stone ones. The Chick House, which opened in 1857, is one of the oldest buildings still standing in the district.
West Side Takes the Lead
The west side of Rockford grew even more when the Rockford Street Railway was completed in 1880. By the 1880s, the west side became the main business center of the city. A successful pharmacy owned by John R. Porter stayed in business for over 100 years. The D. J. Stewart & Company building on South Main Street was home to the Rockford Department Store. This store later moved into a new building in 1893.
A tough economic time in 1893 slowed down new building projects. But things picked up again. The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall was opened by President Theodore Roosevelt on July 3, 1903. A famous architect named Daniel Burnham designed the Rockford Trust Building in 1905.
The Roaring Twenties Boom
The 1920s, often called the "Roaring Twenties," brought a lot of wealth to the west side. The Forest City National Bank Building was finished in 1923. The tallest building in Rockford, the Talcott Building, was completed in 1927. In the same year, the famous Coronado Theatre opened its doors to audiences.
Porter's Corner, where the Porter pharmacy was, was rebuilt in 1929. It was designed in the popular Art Deco style. A two-story Art Deco building was built next door. This building once housed a J. C. Penney department store.
Later Years and Challenges
The 1930s and 1940s were difficult times due to the Great Depression and World War II. Building new things slowed down a lot. Only a few new places like S. H. Kress & Co. (a "five and dime" store) and the Times Theater were built. The Central Union Telephone Company building, built around 1915, got a new look in 1942.
In the 1950s, the construction of Interstate 90 hurt Rockford's downtown. The highway went around the city's business center. This made it harder for the area to recover. Also, many manufacturing jobs were lost across the country. This caused Rockford's unemployment rate to become very high in the early 1980s.
Protecting Rockford's History
Many buildings in the West Downtown Rockford Historic District have been recognized as important historical places. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service. This list helps protect special buildings and areas.
The Memorial Hall was the first building in the district to be recognized in 1976. The Coronado Theatre followed in 1979. In 1986, a group was formed to help save the west downtown district, which was starting to look old and worn.
More buildings were recognized over the years:
- The Chick House in 1997
- The Rockford Morning Star Building in 1999
- The William Brown Building in 2000
- The Rockford Elk's Lodge #64 in 2005
Finally, on September 5, 2007, the entire West Downtown Rockford Historic District was officially recognized as a historic district. There are 44 buildings in the district, and almost all of them (41) are important to its history. The most important historical period for the district is from 1923 to 1930.
